East Point requiring face masks be worn in public

EAST POINT, Ga. - Masks will soon be required if you are going out in East Point.

City Council voted 6-2 on Monday to adopt a face mask ordinance effective 12 a.m. on July 9, 2020. This ordinance will remain in effect during the declared state of emergency related to COVID-19.

Violators are subject to a fine of up to $75. Fines can be imposed starting Monday, July 13, 2020.

“As the numbers of COVID-19 cases continue to increase,we must take action to ensure that we are doing our partto slow the spread of COVID-19,” said Mayor Deana Holiday Ingraham.  “We must follow the science, data and recommendations of medical experts and do all that we can to save lives and protect the health, welfare and safety of our community.”

The ordinance calls for facial coverings or masks to be required in public places within East Point to slow the spread of COVID-19 as follows:

• Patrons entering a commercial establishment in the City must wear a face covering or mask while inside the establishment. This does not apply to religious establishments; however; the use of face coverings is strongly recommended in religious establishments.
• All restaurants, retail stores, salons, barbershops, grocery stores and pharmacies in the City must require all employees to wear a face covering or mask at all times while engaging in face to face interaction with the public.
• All establishments subject to this ordinance must post a sign in a clearly visible location near the front entrance notifying the public that per the ordinance, all persons must wear a mask or face covering and that violators are subjectto a fine of up to $75.
• Any person who is unable to safely wear a face covering due to age, underlying health condition(s), or is unable to remove the face covering without the assistance of others is not required to wear a face covering/mask.

Exceptions to the ordinance are as follows:

• In personal vehicles.
• When a person is alone in an enclosed space or only with othermembers of their household.
• During outdoor physical activity, but the active person mustmaintain proper social distancing at a minimum of six feet from others.
• While eating, drinking or smoking.
• When a licensed health provider has determined that wearing a face covering causes or aggravates a health condition in the specific individual.
• When wearing a face covering would prevent the receipt of personal services.
• When a person is younger than 2-years-old.

East Point joins Athens, Doraville, and Savannah in the list of cities that have issued a face mask mandate.

While Gov. Brian Kemp has encouraged Georgians to wear a mask in public and practice social distancing, there has not been a state mandate to wear a mask.